Portulaca plant named ‘Balrioapt’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘Balrioapt’ characterized by its large apricot-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage with grayed purple-colored margin, and vigorous, low spreading growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Portulaca oleracea.

Variety denomination: ‘Balrioapt’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant botanically known as Portulaca oleracea and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balrioapt’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Cartago, Costa Rica during January 2002. The objective of the breeding program was the development of free flowering Portulaca cultivars with well-branched, and vigorous, spreading growth habit.

The new cultivar was the result of a self-pollination of the Portulaca oleracea breeding selection designated ‘Wild Fire Bronze’, not patented, characterized by its average size salmon bronze-colored flowers, and compact, trailing growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated self-pollination during June 2002 in a controlled environment at Cartago, Costa Rica.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2002 at Cartago, Costa Rica and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balrioapt’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant:

-   -   1. Large apricot-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage with grayed purple-colored         margin; and     -   3. Vigorous, low spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in flower color, flower size, and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Portulaca cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Summer Joy Scarlet’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,244. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Summer Joy Scarlet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have more flowers than plants of         ‘Summer Joy Scarlet’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more secondary branches than         plants of ‘Summer Joy Scarlet’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balrioapt’. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balrioapt’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balrioapt’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Aug. 8, 2005 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 80° F. (21° C. to 26° C.) during the day and approximately 62° F. to 68° F. (17° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 5,000 to 10,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca oleracea cultivar Balrioapt. -   Parentage:     -   -   Parent.—‘Wild Fire Bronze’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 4 to 7 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 14 to 21             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 6 weeks from a rooted cutting.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, low             spreading.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 9.1 cm. Height to top of foliage.             Approximately 4.2 cm. Width: Approximately 32.6 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Approximately 3             main branches per plant and approximately 18 secondary             branches per plant.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong, pliable. Shape: Square in cross             section. Length: Approximately 24.7 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.7 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of stem:             Closest to 144B with overlay of 183C. Internode length at             center of branch: Approximately 1.3 cm.         -   Foliage.—Number of leaves per main branch: Approximately 12.             Fragrance: None. Form: Simple, fleshy succulent.             Arrangement: Alternate. Aspect: Right angle or obtuse angle             to stem. Shape: Elliptic when young becoming oblanceolate             with age. Margin: Entire. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 2.1 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             1.4 cm. Depth of mature leaf: Approximately 1.4 mm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface of mature foliage: 137A and 183A along margin with             venation of 150C. Color of lower surface of mature foliage:             137C with overlay of 183A with venation of 146D. Petiole             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Petiole diameter:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Petiole texture: Glabrous. Petiole             color: 150C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balrioapt’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 11.6 weeks after             sticking of unrooted cutting.         -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 1 day. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Solitary, rotate, sessile, not persistent. Quantity of             fully open flowers per plant at eleven weeks: Approximately             7.         -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 1 day for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovate. Length: Approximately             1.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous.             Color: 39C.         -   Corolla.—Form: Single. Diameter: Approximately 4.1 cm.             Depth: Approximately 1.4 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Emarginate. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Appearance: Shiny. Texture of             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Petal length:             Approximately 2.1 cm. Petal width: Approximately 1.9 cm.             Color of upper surface: 37C at margin, lighter than 55B with             venation of 64C in center, and 64A at base. Color of lower             surface: 65C with venation of 65A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 2. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:             Micronate. Sepal length: Approximately 9.8 mm. Sepal width:             Approximately 8.3 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity:             Approximately 73. Stamen length: Approximately 2.5 mm.             Filament color: 13A at proximal end and 64B at distal end.             Anther shape: Oblong, bilobed. Anther length: Approximately             0.5 mm. Anther color: 13A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: N25C. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Stigma shape:             Five-branched. Stigma length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Stigma             color: 65B at center with 64B at margin. Style length:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Style color: 150C at proximal end with             64B at distal end. Ovary diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Ovary color: 143B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Portulaca has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant named ‘Balrioapt’, substantially as herein shown and described. 